Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind the source for blindness news and information since 1907

This week Shell Oil signed a very large joint venture agreement down in Brazil.  It has nothing to do with drilling rights or processing plants for crude oil, either.  In fact, Shell has just put two billion dollars down on the table to join forces with Cosan SA Industria & Comercio, the world’s largest producer of sugarcane.  Everything totalled, including stations and processing facilities for the sugarcane waste product, the venture is valued at nearly 12 billion.

So why is Shell looking into sugar?  They haven’t gone crazy, but rather they are investigating another revenue channel that will help them branch out and start utilizing other energy sources that have nothing to do with oil.  Brazil happens to use a ton of sugarcane ethanol, and it represents over 17 percent of the entire country’s source of energy.  It is also a very efficient fuel to produce.  For every unit of fossil fuel used in the production process, 8 units of sugarcane ethanol are produced. 

Shell isn’t the only one getting into the biofuel game, though.  Other energy giants like Exxon and BP have spent tens and sometimes hundreds of millions of dollars acquiring other biofuel companies.  Their sources of fuel range from producing biofuel from algae to producing it from forest biomass.  It seems that if they can squeeze fuel out of it, they will.

While the idea isn’t new, Shell’s joint venture is certainly the largest to date.  Should it prove successful, the other oil giants might be tempted to toss their billions around in an effort to keep up.

It’s always interesting to watch companies, especially oil companies publically attempt to secure their future.  You can almost already hear their commercials about how diverse and environmentally friendly they are now that they’re working on new sustainable fuel sources to reduce our dependence on oil.  The funny part is that they always seem to leave out the fact that while we may be reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, we will always have to depend on them. 

Don’t get me wrong, I like to see that big oil companies are trying to find creative ways to produce energy in our future instead of drilling in Antarctica (something that BP just decided would be a bad idea).  I think that it’s a positive direction to be looking, especially considering the long-term negative affects of the Deepwater incident in the Gulf.  I just hope that they balance the quest for increased profits through new ventures with good business practices.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.fastcompany.com/node/1685007/print

In 1966, Irv Gordon purchased his Volvo P1800 brand new.  He didn’t do it expecting that he’d accomplish anything particularly noteworthy, he was just sick of his other cars breaking down and took a friend’s advice to check out the Volvo. 

Today, Irv has nearly 2.8 million miles on his car, a world record.  In fact, Irv set the record back in 1998 when his car reached the 1.69 million mile mark.  But Irv still plans to squeeze some more mileage out of his little red car.  3 million miles is his goal, and if history is any gauge of the future, it would be surprising if he chose to stop there. 

Irv has a great sense of humor about his car.  The seatbelts confuse nearly every passenger and when asked if his car has air conditioning, Irv replies, “Yeah, the 465.  Four windows at sixty-five miles per hour.”

As he reminisced about the days when he first started driving his car, he recalled that gas was 18 cents a gallon, and that he was shocked when it rose to 25 cents.  Oh how far we’ve come.

Irv’s journey has had some bumpy times, though, as you would expect when you drive the same car for over forty years.  He’s been backed into in parking lots, bumped by trucks while driving, even had incidents with a school bus, twice.  In all the mishaps, the nose has been crushed and the sides popped inwards.  “But that’s why they put paint in a can,” said Irv.

Surprisingly, Irv’s car is only on its second engine.  They certainly don’t make cars like that anymore.  No car company would ever make any money.  Irv does all of the routine maintenance himself, but does rely on a trusted mechanic to take care of the big jobs.  After all, he’s got a goal to meet.

So what happens once he reaches three million?  Well, Irv jokes that he might try to sell it for a dollar per mile he’s put on it, that way he could retire.  He’s just waiting for the offers to come in.  If Volvo was smart, they’d buy the car from him and proudly display it in their headquarters.

To read the original article, please go to http://autos.aol.com/article/3-million-mile-volvo/

In what will surely turn into a case of privacy versus public safety, New Jersey police stations have begun creating Facebook profiles and using them to advertise criminal activity in their surrounding area. 

Some of their posts are placed as an effort to catch local criminals who are responsible for burglary, assault, and other crimes.  In these cases, the information is no different than what would be on the air on local news stations.  The criminals are still at large and need to be caught.  The police need to use every resource they have at their disposal in order to catch them and it seems perfectly acceptable to utilize social media in order to close the case.

Where things get a little dicey is when they start shaming criminals from crimes like a DUI.  Currently, the police station posts mug shots of people arrested for DUI, theft, and child pornography in an attempt to reveal to the public what is going on in their community and who to look out for.  Their argument is that the information they post is in the public domain already, so it shouldn’t matter if it’s on their page as well.  Others feel that since Facebook is such a popular venue, defamation may become an issue.  Just because the information is public doesn’t mean that it needs to be posted in every available public place.

This creates an interesting situation.  What criminals should and shouldn’t be posted on the Facebook page?  Should it be all or nothing, or should there be a gray area open to interpretation?  Should sex offenders take precedent over someone arrested for drunk driving?  Would it be considered unequal treatment and punishment, since those people who make it on the Facebook page will have to face both their punishment in the justice system and scorn in their community?

There are tons of questions that can be asked about this situation and the problem is that no one answer is absolutely right or wrong.  The public domain has grown extensively, and maybe this is just the next step.  However, one must ask; where does it end?

Tell me what you think about this in the Reader’s Forum.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.fastcompany.com/node/1681227/print

Peter Gleick knows more about water than most people around the world.  In his most recent book, he outlined the problems with bottled water and why it’s popularity is such a problem.  In fact, it’s become an unsustainable business in the United States.

He says that twenty five years ago, each American drank roughly 1 gallon of bottled water in a year.  Now, that number has risen to 30 gallons a year.  Today, every second of the day, 1,000 bottles of water are consumed in the U.S. alone.  The amounts of fuel involved in the production of the bottles, to run the plants, and to power the delivery vehicles is incredibly high.  Rough calculations show that it requires between 17 and 18 million barrels of oil per year to create these bottles of water. 

Recycling is another big issue.  Even cities with the best recycling programs around still find their landfills brimming with empty water bottles.  They harm the environment and represent money being tossed in the garbage.  All the fuel costs that went into their production will never be offset by recycling them and creating something else, or even just more water bottles.

Gleick also points out that ground water depletion is another big issue.  He cites one company whose water source is a desert spring in a remote canyon outside of Palm Springs.  The more water the company removes from there, the less there is available for the plant and animal life in the desert area, an already dry place to be. 

With worldwide bottled water consumption at around 40 billion gallons a year, it seems that the real solution is being overlooked.  There are many people who do not have safe water to drink.  An emphasis needs to be placed on advanced filtration systems and wells so that these people can have a reliable water source and water that can be obtained inexpensively. 

Here at home, we need to emphasize that our tap water system is actually quite good, but that there is room and a need for improvement.  The Safe Water Act is outdated and our systems do need to be upgraded.  However, as Gleick points out, all of these upgrades can be done at a cost far lower than that of producing more and more bottled water, especially since 45 percent of bottled water is filtered municipal water anyway.

After reading this article, I thought about how much less bottled water I’ve been drinking since I bought myself a Brita filter and started drinking filtered tap water.  how nice would it be if I didn’t even need the Brita and my confidence in straight tap water was restored?  With such a basic necessity like water, we really need to concentrate our resources on making the overall system better for everyone and shift our focus away from company products which have seemingly stolen our public water supply away from us through marketing campaigns and ubiquitous availability.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.fastcompany.com/node/1678595/print

The Amazon River, only bested by the Nile in terms of length, is surrounded by some of the toughest terrain on the planet.  After 859 days, nearly two and a half years, Ed Stafford completed a walk that started at the source of the river in the mountains of Peru and finished at Brazil’s shore.  He is the first person to ever accomplish this feat. 

The 34 year old former British army captain embarked on this incredible journey in 2008.  When he began, he expected that the trip would be roughly 4,000 miles long.  However, due to serious flooding in the region, he had to adjust his path and increase his trip by 2,000 miles. 

Originally, Stafford had begun the trip with a partner, but shortly after they had a falling out and he was forced to walk alone.  Some time later, another man, a Peruvian forestry worker named Gadiel Cho Sanchez Rivera, pledged to walk with him for five days and actually ended up completing the journey with him.

According to Stafford’s media team, during his trip he was accused of murder twice, was imprisoned, held hostage as angry tribes stuffed concrete into his mouth, was chased by yet another angry tribe with bows and arrows, was stung by what must have been hundreds of wasps, and had to have his travel companion remove a botfly from his head.  He also estimates that he received roughly 50,000 mosquito bites, countless scorpion attacks, and a skin disease.  He had to constantly dodge snakes, ants, electric eels, and numerous other dangerous jungle creatures as well.  While in the rainforest, Stafford’s diet consisted mainly of piranha, rice, and beans.

Stafford had a mere 52 miles to go until his 6,000 mile trek would be complete and ended up passing out on the side of the road, exhausted and suffering from a terrible skin rash, a humbling experience considering what he had previously been through.

Many explorers had deemed this route impossible, so what Stafford has done is absolutely incredible.  The fact that he made it through alive is a miracle.

All of Stafford’s hard work was done to raise awareness about protecting the rainforest.  Having spent more than two years of his life there, he would definitely know it better than most anyone else.

To read the original article, please go to http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2010/08/09/14966741.html

Jonathan Schoenakase is doing what not many people would ever volunteer to do.  After realizing that drunk driving was endangering the lives of people in his surrounding area, he decided to start a charity transportation service called Courtesy Rides. 

The service allows anyone to call him for a ride home and most of the people he picks up are leaving bars after a night of drinking.  Instead of going to their car and making the potentially lethal decision to make the drive home, Jonathan is picking them up and bringing them to their door, free of charge, to protect his community.  While he does not charge for the ride, he does accept donations to help offset the costs of his philanthropic service.

However, Jonathan’s popularity may be his downfall.  In the beginning, police and city officials didn’t care that Jonathan did not have a taxi license for his service.  His operation was small, consisting of only one car, and the service he was providing was keeping drunks off the streets.  However, Jonathan added multiple vehicles and now has a small fleet which he and a couple of his friends operate.  One of the vehicles is a modified RV.  According to the Chief of police, it seems that Jonathan’s mission has changed from one-way trips home from the bar to advertising round trip service to anywhere in the surrounding area.  

City officials, with pressure from local taxi services, are now looking to amend the ordinance that governs transportation services so that Jonathan will have to obtain the proper licenses in order to run his charity service, which is now transforming into what looks like a business.  While police haven’t received any complaints, they’re worried that if an accident were to occur between Jonathan and another car that the city could be held liable for allowing him to operate his transportation service without a license.  Police have even gone so far as to put an undercover officer on his bus to see if Jonathan would try to convince people to leave him tips or donations, neither of which he was ever observed doing.

It seems that while Jonathan’s service is growing in popularity, his mission hasn’t actually changed.  He wants people to be transported safely and is willing to put in his time and money to see that it happens.  While he should obtain the appropriate licenses, as any transportation service should, the harassment he is now receiving from authorities and city officials is baffling.  That they would attempt to cease his operation by amending a city law is absurd, considering that the alternative would most likely be an increase of drunk drivers on the road who would rather drive than pay for a cab.

What Jonathan is doing is important and shows a level of public responsibility that may not be understood because it simply isn’t seen anymore.  I know many towns and cities that would benefit from this type of service and if legal matters are put in place to block it, then others who may have considered emulating this may be discouraged.  That would be a shame.  I truly hope that the city does not erect ridiculous legal barriers that will force him to shut down, because I think they would seriously regret the result.

To read the original article, please go to http://www3.whig.com/whig/blogs/citybeat/2009/09/success-may-end-up-hurting-courtesy-rides

A U.S. veteran has been banned from a Connecticut grocery store after the dog she uses to help her balance and reach low lying objects defecated in an aisle of the store.  Despite cleaning up the mess herself, the store asked her to leave and not return.

Now, the woman is considering a lawsuit, claiming that the ban is in direct violation of the ADA.  According to representatives from the store, the dog was not on a leash while it was making its mess, and it is the store’s responsibility to maintain public health.

While it seems that it’s one person’s word against another, these incidents are never as cut and dried as either party wishes them to be.  If this does end up in court, it will be interesting to see what evidence is presented and who turns out to be wrong.

Now, many of you are responsible guide dog owners and I know that our own writer, Steven Famiglietti, has experienced something similar with his dog.  What are your thoughts on this?

To be fair, there are two possible scenarios.  The first is that the woman’s dog made a mess in the store and she apologized and cleaned it up herself.  In this instance, the problem would have been addressed and solved by the owner and the store should absolutely not ban them from shopping there because of that.  I can understand if they would be upset about it, but banning her is too harsh.

On the other hand, if the dog was not on a leash at the time, then the store may be well within their rights to ban the woman from shopping there.  For reasons above and beyond what the dog did in the store, what if a child came up to it and provoked a biting.  While the dogs are highly trained, it is very possible that this could have happened.  If that was the case, then I believe the store would need to be responsible for their other patrons and ask the woman to leave.

Without the appropriate evidence, this is all conjecture, but it does create an opportunity for discussion.  Feel free to share your thoughts in submission to the reader’s forum or comments on the site.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.courant.com/community/north-haven/hc-veteran-dog-banned-0803-20100802,0,7473252,print.story

After losing the majority of her right leg, young Whitney Hemphill and her parents knew that things were going to change.  Unfortunately, though, some things remain the same–in this case, the cruelty of children.  As Whitney was attending a church camp, a group of children stole her prosthetic leg while she was in the shower, leaving her stuck there feeling embarrassed and alienated among her peers.  Not surprisingly, Whitney did not want to return.

Her parents, always being supportive and looking for outlets that would be accessible for Whitney, encouraged her to try a new camp.  She was understandably reluctant to give another one a shot, but her mother told her that they had found a camp just for her.  It turns out that she found an Amputee Coalition of America camp, located in Clarksville, Ohio. 

The camp, named the “Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp seeks to provide children with amputation or limb differences a sense of independence and support,” camp director Derrick Stowell said.  After some mild convincing, Whitney realized that this particular camp would be a great opportunity to meet and socialize with a bunch of other kids her age who were going through the same things.

With the ACA covering all camp and airfare costs, the kids and their families can rest easy knowing that their child has a place just for them.  The list of camp activities is really limitless, too, and campers are free to try anything.  Camp director Stowell mentions that a girl attending the camp wanted to play tennis, but wasn’t sure how she would be able to since she had no arms.  “‘Why don’t you just go try to play?” he told her.  Sure enough, she figured out a way to play tennis and is now a member of her school’s tennis team.

Many other children share in that girl’s experience of having the barriers of a restrictive world stripped away when the people operating the camp truly believe in their potential.  As for Whitney, she just can’t wait to go swimming with her new friends.

Programs such as this are immeasurably important.  Children with disabilities need to experience an environment that’s built for them so that they can gain confidence in themselves and go about the rest of their lives comfortable with their condition.  To have someone tell a girl with no arms to go give tennis a shot, or tell a girl who’s missing a leg to just dive into the pool, gives them incredible freedom and opens doors to a world where anything is possible.

To read the original article, please go to http://blog.al.com/live/2010/07/pre-teen_attends_amputee_camp.html

In our July 6 issue of the magazine, there was an article written about conflict minerals being mined in the Congo being used to fund the civil war that has torn the region apart.  Now, a United States law has passed that requires the companies who use those minerals–normally tech companies that produce smart phones and complex electronics–to declare whether or not their products contain any minerals mined from conflict regions.

The minerals–gold, tungsten, tantalum, and tin–can still be used by the companies, but the law requires that they disclose the original location where those minerals were mined so that consumers know what is in the goods that they’re buying and the companies can be held accountable.

The good news is that various large tech companies are already on board.  Executive Vice President and General Counsel of HP is pleased that there will be greater transparency throughout the industry regarding business practices and the overall supply chain, and that this effort will hopefully reduce funding for the groups responsible for civil war in the Congo.  Apple CEO Steve Jobs asserted that the company already has a policy of requiring their suppliers to certify that they do not use conflict minerals.

Other countries may be joining the United States as well.  There are already groups in the United Kingdom who have been fighting for such a law to pass for some time.  One group, Global Witness, is actually suing the British government for not recommending to the UN that local businesses who deal in conflict minerals be given official sanctions.

Overall, this movement is incredibly positive.  We are beginning to recognize that the things we take for granted, like the small circuitry in our phones, could really mean life or death for people half way around the world.  By holding companies to a higher standard and demanding transparency we are actively trying to cut off funding for an atrocious civil war.

The real problem arises when you begin talking about regulation, though.  Who will be responsible, and how easy is it to side step them?  Conflict diamonds have been scorned by the public for years, but they are smuggled and change hands so quickly.  They are then combined with other diamonds so often that it is nearly impossible to know how many are actually being sold and if international measures have affected their sale or just forced operations to go deeper underground.  This new law involving conflict minerals is definitely a step in the right direction, but in order for it to have any impact, we’ll need to continue walking forward.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.fastcompany.com/node/1674382/print

As soldiers were sleeping in a remote base in Afghanistan on February 22, a suicide bomber was sneaking up on foot.  As he drew closer to the base, barking pierced the quiet night as three dogs came running at him. 

The first, Rufus, bit the terrorist, while the other two, Target and Sasha, looked on, barking wildly.  The 50 soldiers inside the base tried shouting to the dogs in an attempt to quiet them down, not aware of the danger that lurked so close.  As the dogs continued to bark, the bomber prematurely detonated the 24 pounds of C4 explosives before he could get through the door, killing himself.  Rufus and Target were seriously injured, Sasha unfortunately died.

Duke, a National Guardsman who was in the base when the bomb exploded was wounded by shrapnel and is now adopting Rufus.  “There isn’t a doubt in my mind that the dogs saved my life,” he said.  Five other soldiers were wounded by the blast.  Duke was eventually able to return to the base and was able to nurse Rufus back to health.

The two were inseparable.  When Duke was homesick, Rufus was there to brighten his day.  When Duke has to stand watch, Rufus was right there at his feet to help.

After returning to the States, Duke was sadly unsure if he would ever be able to see Rufus again.  That’s where Robert Misseri comes in.  Robert is the operator of Robert’s Cause, an animal advocacy group.  He feels that the dogs and soldiers bonded in the same war-torn area and they deserve to be together once it’s all over.  Anna Canaan is another person involved in a similar cause and she runs the Puppy Mission Rescue, which can be found on Facebook.  Between the two groups, Rufus will be coming to his new home with Duke and his family.  By way of Manhattan, Rufus will then travel to Georgia to happily live out his days with Duke, his wife, and their soon-to-be new baby.  Target, the other canine survivor of the blast, is being flown to Arizona to live with the medic that saved her life.

Hug your dogs, people.

To read the original article, please go to http://www.nypost.com/f/print/news/international/dog_gets_his_day_haMOgDHiJOYZ3sFg3n0iBM